Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Sew Insane

Last year I didn't finish my Christmas sewing (dresses for my girls and another for my favorite 3 year old) until the middle of January. I was determined to start earlier this year and be finished at a reasonable time.

I did start earlier. I finished in time for my girls to wear their dresses on the Sunday before Christmas, but only because I sewed the entire day before. I didn't finish the rest of my Christmas sewing until the 23rd. Next year I hope to do better than that.

On the other hand, last year I sewed 3 dresses.

This year I made:

1) A jumper that turned out to be for cute Kate. Mindy had given me an adult sized jumper years & years ago to use for the fabric. The fabric was so beautiful, but I couldn't bring myself to make something for one of my girls and there wasn't enough fabric for both. I decided this year that I really wanted to sew that fabric, and this is the result. I thought it was darling.



2) A jumper for my niece Lilly, who normally does not cry when she wears clothes I make for her.



3) A jumper for Marley, because she's so cute and I wanted to surprise Katie. (I think Eric was more surprised--he thought it was a hand-me-down from my girls, not one made just for Marley.)

4 & 5) Jumpers for my girls. This fabric is what's called a border print--with some kind of pattern running along both sides of the fabric. Last time I sewed with a border print I wasn't too happy with the results. So this year I was resolved to make something more pleasing to my eye for my girls. I started in a bit of a panic, thinking that I hadn't bought enough fabric. (Note to self: measure fabric again before panicking.) I had a yard of two of a coordinating fabric.


I cut off a couple of lines of the coordinating fabric and added it to the bottom of the girls' jumpers to make them 2" longer.


Then I decided that I also didn't have enough fabric for the bodices, and so I cut out the row of smaller penguins to insert in the bodice. The thing that I'm the most proud of is the candy cane lines. On the coordinating fabric the candy cane line comes right below the penguins, but then there is something else above them. I decided that I really wanted a candy cane line above them too, to set the penguins off from the regular fabric of the bodice. So I cut out another candy cane line and sewed it into the bodice. I think it looks terrific.


the finished product!

As you can see, Marley thought she was hot stuff with her matching jumper.


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Last year I had ordered some fabric samples from fabric heaven. (For those of you who aren't fabricaholics like myself, fabric heaven called Mary Jo's. It's in Gastonia, and it's seriously the size of Walmart and full of fabric.) It makes me hyperventilate to even walk into the place, it's that awesome.) Anyway, by the time the samples came I'd already found and purchased the fabric I used last year. But one of the samples was really interesting because it was crinkled. So when Sherron went back to visit her family she brought me back some of this crinkled taffeta. Enough for my girls and to share. With that fabric I made:

6) A Christmas dress for my favorite 3 year old. I used black velvet in the bodice, and it was interesting to sew with. It wasn't bad as long as I basted everything first. I was pleased with the way it turned out.

7) A Christmas dress for my favorite 12 year old. (Older sister of the 3 year old.) This one was interesting, since I haven't sewn for a long time for a 12 year old. (About 9 years, I guess!) She definitely wanted a "big girl" dress, so we ended up looking online together at dresses and she told me what she liked. I ironed the fabric so that it was mostly flat, and cut the skirt on the diagonal so that it would flare instead of being gathered & full. She also wanted long sleeves instead of short. (Can't blame her there.)


8 & 9) Dresses for my girls. (I know, I know. They already had the jumpers! But they're getting older, and they're not going to let me choose everything for much longer. So I have to do it while I can.) Instead of using the black velvet for their dresses I used navy velveteen. (Though it looks more black in the pictures for some reason.) I wasn't nearly as happy with the way their dresses turned out. The velveteen definitely is not lush like the velvet, though it is easier to sew with. I don't think I like the blue as well as the black either. (Next year I will probably use the little bit of the fabric that is left and make someone a dress with a green bodice--I'm just curious to see how that will work.) I also think the long sleeves are not nearly as cute as short are, but they are so much more practical for our cold chapel.

One night while we were playing games I made necklaces and bracelets for the girls to go with these dresses. Isn't having girls fun?!?


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I also made pajama pants for all three of the little kids, but those are pretty easy so they really don't count (much) in my list of Christmas sewing. I thought the jumper/dress total was pretty impressive, though. Or pretty insane!

6 comments:

  1. Next time you should probably make one for Savannah and Leigh Ann too.

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  2. Talk about sew insane... honestly! As I was reading your post I thought that you should have your own line of Christmas dresses and sell them. But then I remembered my MIL (sorry that's mother in law)telling me about the sweaters and booties she knits that she does it for fun and they take way too much time and effort that she'd never get her money and time paid for by selling them. Sew, I guess what I'm saying is that you are amazing and you could sell your wares, but I would understand why you don't.

    PS If you ever did sell them, would you take chocolate craisin cookies in trade? I could make a gross! LOL!!

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  3. That dress and Marie's blanket would be the two things I would grab from Marley's room if the house burned down- truly. After I sewed the bathrobes for the boys I took out the dress to look at it and marvel with my new "sewing eyes" at how talented you are. And I want you to explain to me sometime what cutting on the diagonal does- I don't get why that makes the skirt more flared. Teach me!

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  4. I LOVE the jumpers on your girls. You are incredible.

    Thanks for the inspiration! (And yes, having girls would be fun...)

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  5. I am so impressed!!! Those jumpers are adorable.

    And I love Mary Jo's. I bought all the fabrics for my old house's curtains and pillows there. Sigh. (I didn't sew that stuff, though. My mother-in-law did.)

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  6. Very nice! I can definitely tell that sewing is something you LOVE!

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